WORLD BUSINESS BRIEFING | ASIA; Japan: Trade Surplus Grows 53 Percent

By BLOOMBERG NEWS

Published: July 26, 2007

The trade surplus surged in June as a weaker yen and higher overseas demand for electronics and cars helped exports rise at the fastest pace in five months. The surplus expanded 53.4 percent, to 1.23 trillion yen ($10.2 billion) from a year earlier, the ministry of finance said. Exports climbed 16.2 percent. Exports to the United States advanced 6.7 percent to 1.45 trillion yen in June, the ministry said, after barely rising in May and falling in April for the first time in two years. Shipments to China surged 22.6 percent to a record 1.13 trillion yen, and exports to Asia gained 15.8 percent. Exports to the European Union climbed 16.3 percent, to 1.08 trillion yen, the second highest on record.